The Tree of Life parents guide

The Tree of Life Parent Guide

This production's decision to punctuate these hardships with earth's birth and demise will also make this entertainment option more likely to appeal only to a limited audience.

Release date May 26, 2011

After a tragic event, Jack O'Brien (Sean Penn) tries to understand the meaning of life by looking back at his childhood during the 1950, and remembering the lessons learned from his parents (Brad Pitt and Jessica Chastain).

Why is The Tree of Life rated PG-13? The MPA rated The Tree of Life PG-13 for some thematic material.

Run Time: 140 minutes

Official Movie Site

The Tree of Life
Rating & Content Info

Please Note: We have not viewed this movie. The information below is a summary based on data gathered from government and industry sponsored film classification agencies in various global regions.

Why is The Tree of Life rated PG-13? The Tree of Life is rated PG-13 by the MPAA for some thematic material.

Violence: Parents learn of a child’s death. A mother treats a child’s bloody wound. Kids mock others. Police take away criminals. A dad teaches his boys to exchange punches and later tries to slap his child for talking back. Some domestic abuse between a husband and wife is shown. A father’s anger impacts his family’s home life. A child drowns in a swimming pool. While playing with a BB gun, one boy is shot in the finger. A boy steals a woman’s lingerie. A group of boys vandalize a neighbor’s property.

Sexual Content: A pregnant woman’s belly is shown.

Language: The script contains a couple of profanities and a crude anatomical term.

Alcohol / Drug Use: Some secondary characters smoke.

Page last updated

News About "The Tree of Life"

How does Mr. O'Brien's anger impact his family? How does he let his personal and career disappointments affect his relationships with other people? Why does Jack feel like his father is a hypocrite? Is Mrs. O'Brien's approach to parenting any more effective?

How can childhood experiences affect a person in adulthood? What enables a person to move on with life after suffering setbacks, tragedies or disappointments?

What statement do you think the filmmaker is trying to make with his depiction of the earth's creation and ending?

Cast and Crew

The Tree of Life is directed by Terrence Malick and stars Brad Pitt, Sean Penn, Jessica Chastain .

Home Video

The most recent home video release of The Tree of Life movie is October 11, 2011. Here are some details…

Home Video Notes: The Tree of Life

Release Date: 11 October 2011

The Tree of Life releases to home video with the following bonus extra:

- Exploring The Tree of Life

Related home video titles:

Another son has to come to terms with the emotional legacy left by his father in the movie Five People You Meet In Heaven. A dejected man finds new reason to hope as he remembers the lessons taught by his mother in For One More Day. Artsy visuals and meandering storylines are also applied to a look at the mysteries of the universe in the sci-fi film 2001: A Space Odyssey.